feeling bitter

Bless her heart! She's how I get new sewing machines. People with more money than sense buy carp they don't know how to use, don't bother to figure it out, and then sell it for cheap later because 'it doesn't seem to work very well'.  Too bad you two aren't the same size. She'll no doubt be done with the bike by August for sure. Once she gets all, you know, sweaty (eeeewwww) and discovers that the tri outfits aren't as cute as those tennis ones (and NO matching jewelry or handbags!! gasp!), she'll be done with it. Meanwhile she has kept the LBS in business. And that's a good thing. I hope he sold her the zipps while he was at it. And six pairs of Castelli shorts, and some Assos jerseys. 

Maybe you'll get to pass her on your commuter and say, "Good thing you bought that bike."

Or possibly she'll maybe watch for bikes out on the road once in a while while she's driving her 700 series. That'd be good too.

OR....you could not really worry so much about how others spend their $ and keep disparaging remarks to yourself.  God forbid someone might shout encouraging words to someone as they pass them, regardless of what kind of bike either is riding.  For the life of me I've never understood this snarky attitude.

As for the OP, I think what you're feeling is normal, but don't let it get ya down.  You never know what can happen.  A few years ago a $10 raffle ticket got me a brand new Trek oclv TT bike.  Just enjoy the sport, put some good karma out there and have some fun.  If you really want some "toys" down the road and it enhances your enjoyment you'll figure out how to get 'em and good on you.  When you do, don't let anyone passing you on a $500  bike shouting out insults ruin yer day.  ;-)

WOW you are bitter.

In October, with NO experience, but signed up for my first triathlon (which I originally planned to ride my 1989 mountain bike with slicks) I walked into LBS to look at triathlon bikes - 

Then the PR firm that sets me up working with supplement companies gets on board and tells me that a combination of companies will pay for whatever bike I get - so when I go back to LBS you can bet that the P3C on sale was no longer out of my league - and I got it.

Last month was that first tri - I did not go aero.  Last weekend I fell off that bike twice and am now riding my road bike (purchased by me for substantially less than the P3C after I got the tri bike) to get used to riding and learn handling.

I am signed up for 5 more races this season.

I am sure there are plenty of judgmental people out there calling me a 'fred'.  And I am sure they went off feeling all bitter about my purchase.

btw - I won my AG in that triathlon last month.

Maybe she works hard, makes good money and has it to spend on herself and her boy toy boyfriend.

Maybe like me she has to pay her useless ex husband money.

feel bitter? go work harder and earn the money. 

Give yourself some credit, you probably could have won the tri on a bike costing 1/10 of the P3C.

Strictly opinion here, but the newbie triathlete purchasing the P3C in the OP may very well be doing herself a disservice that has little to do with affordability or "deserving" the bike. The P3C (again IMHO) has a very aggressive geometry necessitating a position that may not lend itself well to someone just learning how to ride a bike in race conditions. As Cat may or may not attest.

That said, if a person does their research and decides that's the bike for him, more power to him. No jealousy or bitterness here, I've bought the bike I've decided is right for me and my budget.

HankJKy - 2008-04-12 8:55 PM

the bear - 2008-04-12 7:38 PM

TriToy - 2008-04-12 6:28 PM

btw - I won my AG in that triathlon last month.

Give yourself some credit, you probably could have won the tri on a bike costing 1/10 of the P3C.

Strictly opinion here, but the newbie triathlete purchasing the P3C in the OP may very well be doing herself a disservice that has little to do with affordability or "deserving" the bike. The P3C (again IMHO) has a very aggressive geometry necessitating a position that may not lend itself well to someone just learning how to ride a bike in race conditions. As Cat may or may not attest.

That said, if a person does their research and decides that's the bike for him, more power to him. No jealousy or bitterness here, I've bought the bike I've decided is right for me and my budget.

So have I. That's why I'm riding a really cheap bike! I don't want a bike that deserves a better engine than I am providing.

see I did not want to have to upgrade in a year (or four).  I figured I am better off spending the money now. (especially when it was not my money ;-) I did not see the point of a starter bike.  So this engine may not yet deserve a P3C but she will!!!!  and I do think the frame plus the zipps are why I averaged 22mph on the bike split even with sucky turns and cornering.... 

maybe this woman is doing danskin as her first tri but likes the idea of doing them and is having enough fun training that she will keep at it.  maybe she has done some research and knows she wants a carbon fiber frame (that was what I asked for after doing a small amount of research).  And if she likes to have nice equipment and can afford it GOOD FOR HER!

If she has a hard time with the aggressive frame she will grow into it - I know I will. 

ok, she's what?

a ...

Beginner

Triathlete

kinda hope she doesn't stumble upon this page.

Count me in the camp of "you're being bitter."  When I bought my first real car, I felt like I had hit the jackpot - suffered through years of having no money and finally had a good paying job.  I had earned this chance to purchase this car.  As I'm buying this "dream car" I had so cherished (and still have 6 years later) - some father is purchasing the exact same car (actually a little nicer) for his 16 year old son.  I wasn't bitter, I was just happy with my situation.

You can't judge your own happiness by the position others.  If I did that, I'd have given up running a long time ago...

HankJKy - 2008-04-12 7:55 PM  So have I. That's why I'm riding a really cheap bike! I don't want a bike that deserves a better engine than I am providing.

The engine I'm providing is the world's best, simply because it is mine. There is no bike that deserves a better engine. There may be some that better warrant a different engine, and some bikes that deserve my engine more than others. Then there are some some that require an inefficient application of my resources, that carry a higher marginal cost than the worth of the marginal benefit they provide. That's where my buying decision is grounded.

awful lot of assumptions about everyone else's upbringing and debt levels. for the record I worked through undergrad, saved money then still came out of med school with gynormous debt.
I don't think my family of origin home life is relevant to my adult circumstances.

yeah you sound bitter and jealous. and if you are going to post on an internet board then expect faceless advice - though my picture is on the site if you want a face to go with it.

what did you expect when you put this up? why is it a problem to you if this beginner buys a nice bike? why does she deserve it less? why do you and your wife - and apparently many others here - have to assume that she must be in a loveless marriage and having affairs? why the assumption that she will not use it after one race?

and you wonder why you got the 'go work harder' advice? and what does my being a doctor have to do with it?

Hey!  I have TOTALLY been the dork buying too much bike for myself.  My USAT certified personal trainer suggested a Quintana Roo & helped me find one on the internet.  It was used & $800 so not quite in the $6k range.  However, it was my first training season & I hadn't ridden a bike in years & years & I had never ridden anything other than a kids bike.

What happened to me was I couldn't ride the bike to save my life.  I couldn't clip in, I couldn't ride aero, I couldn't stop & unclip.  Oh, and turning on that bike was like turning in a really fast sports car... a little bit of nudge goes a loooooooooooong way.  I fell of the bike a million time, I was always scared when I was riding it & I never had fun. 

So I sold it & bought a $350 hybrid & I rode that in the tri, much to my relief.  And to the safety of myself & all the other back of the packers I might have plowed into while careening around the bike course on my Quintana Roo.